Han Kang's Nobel Prize boosts book market

South Korean writer Han Kang's books are enjoying soaring popularity across various sales channels, from bookstores and e-commerce platforms to department stores, following her Nobel Prize in literature win last week. Kyobo Book Center reported Friday that around 103,000 copies of Han’s works had sold through its online and offline stores just one day after the Nobel announcement. Competitors Yes24 and Aladin sold more than 132,000 and 70,000 of her books, respectively, over the sam

IndustryOct. 13, 2024

Chung marks 4 years at helm of Hyundai Motor

Hyundai Motor Group is celebrating four years of Chung Euisun’s leadership as executive chair on Monday. During this period, the automaker has experienced rapid growth, expanded into new markets and positioned itself as a major player in electric vehicles and future technologies. But new challenges lie ahead, particularly in software, robotics and urban air mobility. When Chung officially took over in 2020, Hyundai and its sister brand, Kia, were solid players but not exactly leaders in th

MobilityOct. 13, 2024

Posco Future M's NCA cathode plant in Pohang goes online

Posco Future M has started operations at its new plant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, dedicated to producing nickel-cobalt-aluminum cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries. The plant, which shipped its first batch over the weekend, will help meet the growing demand for high-performance EV battery components. NCA cathode materials, with 88 percent nickel content, are key for making EV batteries more efficient. In January 2023, Posco Future M secured a 40 trillion won ($29.6 bill

MobilityOct. 13, 2024

Confusion over alleged S. Korean drone intrusion: Who's behind it?

North Korea's recent claim that the South had sent uncrewed aerial vehicles over Pyongyang three times since last week has stirred a contentious debate on the veracity of the claim and the implications. As of Sunday, the South Korean government has maintained a noncommittal stance, neither confirming nor denying the allegations, while North Korea has yet to present definitive evidence. In a message delivered Friday through the Korean Central News Agency, the North's Foreign Ministry cl

North KoreaOct. 13, 2024

K-pop song once recommended by Nobel laureate Han Kang returns to music charts

Han Kang, who made history by winning the Nobel Prize in literature, is now also influencing the music scene. According to major local music platform Melon, K-pop sibling duo AKMU’s “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love,” which Han Kang had previously recommended, has made a resurgence on Melon’s Top 100 and Daily charts. As of Sunday, the song climbed to No. 43 on Melon’s Top 100 and No. 27 on the Daily chart. "How Can I Love the Heartbre

K-popOct. 13, 2024

Riize speaks out on Seunghan’s return

Riize’s Wonbin asked for fans' support and understanding regarding suspended member Seunghan's return to the team. “I’ve decided to share my thoughts on Seunghan’s return to prevent more confusion to Briize (fandom name),” Wonbin took to the fan community platform Weverse on Sunday to share. “We’ve had many discussions with Seunghan and the company (SM Entertainment) over a long period. Please understand that the members have been deeply contem

K-popOct. 13, 2024

Samsung SDI seeks out top tech talent in Europe

Samsung SDI invited over 60 students and industry experts from Europe’s top institutions at its tech and career forum in London, aiming to secure global talent to strengthen the firm's technological competitiveness, the company said Sunday. The Tech & Career Forum, held on Saturday local time, attracted master’s and Ph.D. students, as well as industry experts, from prestigious universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, the Technical University of Munich and the Swiss Federal In

TechnologyOct. 13, 2024

Mothers of 13 kids honored by government

The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently gave awards to two Korean mothers who gave birth to 13 children, including the mother of actress Nam Bo-ra, who is well-known for being the youngest of her 13 siblings. Eom Gye-suk, 60, was given the Seongnyu Medal, the fifth grade of the Order of Civil Merit given to those to recognize contributions to the country and welfare of the people with their outstanding accomplishments in the field of politics, economics, society, education or academics. She

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

Govt fines journalists who revealed names of Itaewon tragedy victims

A government report showed Sunday that a local group of citizen-journalists has been fined in connection with its decision to publish the names of those who lost their lives in the October 2022 crowd crush in Itaewon without getting consent from the victims' bereaved families. Mindle News, an independent media outlet founded in 2022, was fined 3 million won ($2,200) in late July by the Personal Information Protection Commission for violating the Personal Information Act, according to PIPC

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

Employee fired for taking gift mugs ruled unfair dismissal

A local court said Sunday it ruled against a company that fired an employee for taking without permission five mugs and one calendar intended as promotional gifts for customers. Seoul Administrative Court has ruled against Porsche Korea's official dealer, Autostadt, who challenged the National Labor Relations Commission's ruling on its firing of the employee. The company had dismissed the employee -- who had worked there nine years -- in February last year, arguing that he had taken th

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

[From the Scene] SLW program explores tech integration for better, happier urban lives

An exhibition program hosted by the Seoul city government last week explored innovative ideas for urban challenges in areas such as transportation, environment and safety, with private companies showcasing tailored solutions to global cities from 18 countries. The Presentation for Your City program was the centerpiece of Seoul Smart Life Week, held from Thursday to Saturday at Coex in southern Seoul, as it conveyed fresh urban solutions that can be applied not only to Seoul, but other metropolit

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

Han Kang's works fetch premium prices for limited editions

Since Han Kang became the first South Korean novelist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, her works, especially limited editions, have become valuable premiums on the secondary market. As of Sunday, a hand-signed first edition of Han Kang's 2007 essay collection, "Quietly Sung Songs" was listed for a 700,000 won ($518), on Junggonara, an online secondary market platform. Another user on the same platform posted a purchase request for the first edition of Han Kang's "

BooksOct. 13, 2024

Man is injured rescuing a driver from burning car

Local rescue authorities said passengers of a bus managed to rescue a person from a burning car, with one sustaining an injury in the process. According to the Gyeongbuk Fire Service Headquarters, a sedan caught fire after colliding with a truck while backing up at the Goryeong junction in Goryeong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, on the Gwangju-Daegu Expressway at around 9:13 a.m. on Oct.10. Passengers on a passing tour bus came over and pulled the driver out of the burning car, and one passenge

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

Some of N. Korea's trash balloons equipped with GPS transmitters: S. Korean military

Some of the balloons floated by North Korea to dump trash across South Korea have been equipped with GPS transmitters, South Korea's military said Sunday. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, GPS transmitters were found in some of the North Korean balloons, and Pyongyang may be using them to look into the balloons' flight data. A South Korean military official said the military is "tracking North Korea's possible development of balloon flotation technology a

North KoreaOct. 13, 2024

Senior diplomats of S. Korea, US, Japan to hold talks in Seoul this week: foreign ministry

Senior diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan will gather in Seoul this week for trilateral talks on ways to further boost their partnership, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday. First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun will host US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano for the dialogue scheduled for Wednesday, the ministry said in a release. Kim will also hold separate bilateral talks with Campbell on the same day and wit

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 13, 2024

N. Korean leader's sister warns of 'horrible disaster' if S. Korean drones found again

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Sunday that South Korea will face a "horrible disaster" if South Korean drones are flown again over the North's capital. Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, just a day after the reclusive regime floated trash balloons toward South Korea, claiming the South had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times this month. "We have no concern about who i

North KoreaOct. 13, 2024

[팟캐스트] (626) 윤 대통령, 중동 사태에 “군 수송기 투입”

진행자: 홍유, Elise Youn S. Korea to send military aircraft to evacuate nationals from Middle East 기사 요약: 중동 지역에서 확전 위기가 고조되자 윤석열 대통령은 우리 국민 철수를 위해 군 수송기를 즉각 투입할 것을 지시했다. [1] South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday directed the immediate dispatch of military aircraft to evacuate nationals from the Middle East as tensions escalated rapidly with intensified clashes between Israel and Iran as well as its backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas. dispatch: 파견하다 military aircraft: 군 수송기 escalate:

PodcastOct. 13, 2024

S. Korea, US, Japan summit expected near end of 2024: national security adviser

The leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan are expected to hold a trilateral summit near the end of this year, according to South Korea's national security adviser Saturday. Earlier in the day, Seoul's presidential office said US President Joe Biden has proposed holding a trilateral summit by the end of this year. He made the proposal in a message conveyed to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol through Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Association of Southeast Asia

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 12, 2024

[EYE] He left his heart in Africa

In 2008, as a 25-year-old university student, Steven Heo boarded a plane bound for Tanzania, seeking an extraordinary experience before graduation. However, what was meant to be a one-year stay turned into a life-changing journey that reshaped the path of the philosophy and psychology major. Now in his early 40s, Heo leads Africa Insight, a Seoul-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting cultural understanding and combating stereotypes, while fostering cultural exchange between Korea and Africa. In

Social AffairsOct. 12, 2024

[Weekender] 'Funsumerism': Buying should be fun.

Purchasing behavior is a complex decision-making process, but for some consumers, one factor plays a crucial role -- fun. These individuals, known as "funsumers" in Korea, prioritize enjoyable and engaging experiences in all aspects of brand interaction, from buying products and attending events to social media consumption. The long-term viability of this trend is questionable. Yet one thing seems certain: brands are constantly innovating to keep consumers entertained and, consequently

Hashtag KoreaOct. 12, 2024